Matthew 4:17 through Matthew 7

Rose's interpretation of Jesus' teachings

When I read Scripture, I must understand the context to better understand what God is teaching me. Knowing what was said before and what is being said afterwards helps me to understand the specific point God is making. I just ask God to teach me and He does. So to better understand Jesus' first teachings while studying Matthew chapter 7, I read Matthew 4, beginning in verse 17, through chapter 7 as one conversation to understand the linear context of His points. The following are my words as Jesus taught me.

Following Jesus' 40-day fast in the desert and standing firm against Satan's temptation, Jesus began His ministry by preaching, "Turn around! You're going the wrong way to the Kingdom. It's right hear, follow me. I know the way, in fact, I am the Way. If you follow me, you too will gather people into God's Kingdom."

In one town, Jesus saw the size of His followers; it was a crowd. He climbed up on a hillside, sat down like rabbis do to teach and began to tell the people:

If you are not a proud or rich person, don't fret about what you don't have. Your poverty is not a curse from God. Your future home will be the Kingdom of heaven.

If you are mourning because you lost someone dear to you or because you denied your desires to serve someone else, you will be comforted and find peace in God. Your issue is not a curse from God.

If you don't seek glory or recognition from everyone around you, you will be recognized by God Himself and given the Kingdom of earth.

In these things, by sacrificing your desires and wants out of reverence for God and for other people, you are like God's children and as His children, He will honor you with the inheritance of an heir.

Do you hunger and thirst to see justice upheld, God's truths and rules to be the standards of our daily living? God will satisfy that hunger and quench that thirst.

For those who show mercy over ritual, who show compassion to others, God will also show you mercy and compassion.

If your heart is not polluted by this world and your desires are for God's will in your life, then know that you will see God one day.

For those who extend peace through forgiveness and second chances, those who swallow their pride to extend an apologetic hand even when you're the one who was hurt, those who don't put conditions on their love for others, you possess the unconditional (agape') qualities of your Father in heaven and He will call you His son or daughter.

If you're persecuted for upholding God's standards of truth, mercy, zeal for the Law, your home will be the Kingdom of God.

If you are unjustly persecuted, falsely accused of things, and people speak horribly about you saying you've done bad things because you've listened and followed me, look forward to your future happiness and celebrate that in your hearts. Remember, our religious leaders, our nation, mistreated God's prophets in the same manner. If they treated them horribly, they will treat you that way too.

Don't you know what you are in God's eyes? You are His salt and light in this world. As salt, you are the preservative of this world. God's working through you; and you who believe in and follow God are carrying Him through the world as you represent Him to those you know and meet. You bring God's love and standards into the world thereby helping to preserve this world from becoming completely spoiled and ruined. You're also light. A light that shows people the clear way to God. You don't hide a light under a bed because it won't provide light to your dark room. No, you put a light on a table so it lights the room and people can see where they're walking. So, don't hide your love for God, your knowledge about His truths and commands. Live it out so people can know God's truth, see the way to Him and praise Him.

For those of you who are not faithful followers of God's Law, the things I'm saying do not free you from following the Law. Please know that the Law will not disappear, its requirements will not vanish until everything God said He would do is accomplished exactly as He said. And if you teach anyone that it's OK to cut corners from the Law, you will lose your place - your rank - in the kingdom to come. However, if you practice what you preach, if you live it out daily out of reverent respect and love to God, you will be known as one of the great ones in God's Kingdom. The integrity of your actions must surpass that of the ritual actions of the religious leaders and the Law teachers.

On the other hand, you religious leaders who think your strict following of the Law, without reverent love and respect for God - without mercy and compassion - automatically provides you entrance into God's Kingdom. Think again.

You say you're a good person because you never murdered anyone. But don't you know that if you hate someone in your heart, you are no different than a murderer. The actions of murder comes from the hate in the heart. Not acting out on your hate does not make you innocent of hating. Your arrogance, selfishness and greed causes you to hate your brother telling and treating him as if he is not good for anything whatsoever. Because of this, you are subject to the judgment of God and will be thrown like garbage into the burning trash heap of Hell that resembles Gehenna.

So don't ask God to bless anything of yours, as if your ritual actions are accepting to God when you are harboring this hate in your heart. Go and reconcile with the person you hate, clear the hate from your heart, then come to God. This way your offerings to God will be something He enjoys.

Here is some basic, good advice. Settle any matter before it goes before a judge because you never know if the judgment will be in your favor. It may not go your way, you could be thrown into jail and now have to pay the full penalty for your crime of hate.

You think you're not an adulterer? You think that because you didn't cheat on your husband or your wife physically that you didn't commit adultery. Don't you realize that the act of adultery stems from the desires of your heart? If you lust after someone - looking at that person sexually wanting to have that person - you have committed adultery in your heart and therefore are guilty of adultery. Your actions are caused by the things you harbor in your heart.

You don't think that's the case? Say you think your hand has caused you to commit an offense like adultery. "I can't help myself because my hands enjoy this." Well, cut off your hand. Then when you continue to sin with only one hand, perhaps you'll realize that your inability to live to God's standards is a heart issue and not caused by anything else.

You think your divorce is acceptable because some religious leader acknowledged your divorce as justified with a piece of paper. And you think that God honors that piece of paper? If you have divorced your wife or husband for anything other than sexual infidelity prior to your wedding day, and if you both have remarried, both of you have become adulterers. The marriage covenant is not how man looks at marriage but how God views marriage. It's His standard.

You have been taught not to break your oaths or promises especially those promises you made to God. However, you have come up with an elaborate system of making promises only to provide you a loophole to avoid keeping them or to allow you to rationalize your feelings for not keeping your promises. In fact, you try to elevate the importance of your promises by swearing on the Bible with "so help me God" or "I swear to God." You can't make those types of promises. Do you own and control Heaven? Do you own and control God? Can you put up Heaven or God's throne as collateral for your broken promises? Instead, just let your yes mean yes and your no mean no. Be a man or woman of your word. Do what you intend to do.

You think the law allows you to enact a punishment on someone who has wronged you. By thinking the law says, "an eye for an eye" that this means if someone did something to you that you now have the right to enforce a punishment on that person. That law means that, when a punishment is to be metered out to a person, the punishment should fit the crime so that you will not abuse your authority by doubling the punishment for a crime committed against you. This does not give you the justification to punish someone who wronged you. Instead, how about you show compassion and mercy to the person who wronged you. How about you give that person double what they want to take from you. When you do this, two things may happen. Either that person is shocked by your Godly actions, considers what he has done and considers God. Or that person goes on his way and your Godly actions just added to his future judgment.

You have heard to love those who agree with you and hate your enemies and you think that is justified by the Law. In fact, the Law states to love God completely and to love those around you as you would choose to care for yourself. I'm telling you that you should choose to love your enemies and pray for them. This is the very character of God and if you do this, you will be considered sons and daughters of God.

Look at God. He chooses to love you showing that love through mercy, compassion, tenderness, forgiveness, patience and provides for your daily and every needs without condition on whether you return Him love. He gives you many chances and rarely lets you taste the eternal repercussions of your sinful actions. You can see this in simple things like the weather where God sends rain on everyone whether people believe and follow Him or not. The sun shines on the entire earth and not just on the people who follow God. This is agape' (unconditional) love and your Father in Heaven is the definition of agape' love. What is the quality of your love if you only love and care for the people who love you in return? Even the people you know to be rotten and evil are capable of showing love to their family and friends. If you only show love and kindness to those who are like you, how are you different from the evil people? Instead, try to love perfectly like God does.

However, when you are living out your love and obedience to God, live it out in ways that are not self seeking of recognition by others. Check your heart. Are you doing things out of love and respect for God or are you doing things for recognition by others? If you are doing things to be recognized by others, then you will have no reward in Heaven.

When you give to the needy, don't do it for all of the recognition benefits. Look at the temple priests. They blow trumpets right before they drop their contributions into the collection basket. The trumpet gets the attention of the people so the people will see the priest making their contribution. Then you people say, "Oh how wonderful. Look at the priests caring for the needy." You didn't acknowledge God in any of this. The priests wanted to make sure people saw what they did; they didn't quietly give knowing God saw them. I'm telling you, those priests received the reward they are going to get and forfeited the reward of God. Don't worry about whether people see you doing caring things. Know that God sees you and be content with that.

And when you pray, don't pray out loud in public for reasons to be recognized and praised by those around you. Look at the temple priests. They like to make a show of how religious they are pretending to run to the temple, filled with prayer for God, then stopping along the way acting as if their prayers are just spilling out of them before they can get to the temple. Really? Did they pray for the needy person they passed on the street? Did they pray for the lame person laying on the side of the road begging? No, their prayers were for themselves and not for God's purposes. Instead, prayer is between you and God. It's a conversation between you and your Father in heaven. He knows where you are. He sees you. He hears you. Speak to Him and He will hear you and reward you. And don't pray like the followers of other religions. They pray as if they have to work themselves into some sort of spiritual state to be heard. They babble. They sway and jump. They shout and holler. Is this how you talk with your parent? Then why do you think this is the way to talk to your Father in heaven? Your Father knows what you need before you even speak, so simply speak from your heart and He will hear you.

This is what a heartfelt prayer should include:

Father - Dad - in heaven; your Name is holy and sacred. Help your Name be holy and sacred to me because you are worthy of that respect.

One day your Kingdom will come here on earth just as it exists in heaven now. Begin today in my heart. Rule over my heart; my desires and my will.

You know what my day holds; I only think I know what's going to happen. My plans are short sited and arrogant. So, please give me what I need for the day in both the physical and spiritual provisions. Please don't give me more than I need otherwise, I may become smug thinking I made it through the day on my own abilities and strength. Don't give me too little otherwise, I may steal, cheat or lie in order to make it through the day and therefore misrepresent You.

Forgive me of my inabilities to live by Your standards; forgive me my sins against You. Forgive me by the same measure I have forgiven others who have wronged me. However Father; that scares me because I am unable to forgive magnanimously and I don't want to be held to even my standard. Instead, help me to forgive like You do, so that when You forgive me of my sins, Your forgiveness is more than I deserve.

Please don't allow me to be led astray by Satan and by my evil desires. Rescue me from the evil one and the evil I am prone to do.

Just remember, when you forgive people who have wronged you - when you have allowed those people to start anew with you and your relationship - then your Father in heaven will also forgive you in the same manner when you sin against Him. That should be the quality of your ability to forgive.

When you fast to spend time with God, don't look like you're in discomfort like the actors do, who call themselves temple priests. They disfigure their faces, moan and groan so people will see them and ask what they're doing. Their replies? "I'm fasting for God." They're just looking for recognition. Instead, get dressed, do your hair, shave/put on your makeup and fast in silence. After all, the fast is between you and God. He sees you. He knows what you're doing; that should be enough.

Don't spend your life working to buy stuff. The more stuff you buy, the more stuff you must care for. Then people want to hang out with you because of your stuff - because of the benefits you provide to them - not because they want to be with you. Thieves know you have stuff and then they come to steal it. Your bills pile up and now you're a slave to your stuff.

The catalogs come in the mail and you see more stuff you want and you say, "I need this. I've worked hard and deserve this stuff. My neighbor has this thing, so I want it too." You see advertisements everywhere you look that beg for your attention and you willingly give your attention because you want that stuff. You know the saying garbage in, garbage out? If you feast your eyes on all of the stuff, then that's what you'll want all the time. You will produce nothing but garbage in your life. If you fill yourself with darkness, then how dark and disturbing will your life be? You cannot serve two bosses. Either you will enjoy one boss and hate the other or you will work for one boss and resent the other. You cannot serve both God and stuff.

So, don't worry about your life in terms of stuff - living to buy the latest trendy clothes, the tastiest food, the best wine. Life is more than fads, trends and being seen as one of the beautiful people. Life is more than being popular and desired by others. Look at the birds. They don't have to plant crops in order to eat. They don't have to harvest or store food. Yet, your Father in heaven makes sure the birds have food to eat. Aren't you more valuable to God than the birds? And with all of your worrying, can you permanently keep your hair from turning grey? Can you add an hour onto your lifetime?

Why do you worry about buying the right clothes? Look at the day lilies. Have you ever seen anything so beautifully decorated? The day lilies look like they have been individually painted with colors, spots, designs; they are awe inspiring to behold. Solomon, the wealthiest man ever to walk the earth, never looked as opulent as these lilies. If God can clothe the grasses with day lilies, how much more can God clothe you? Where is your trust in God? Where is your faith and reliance in God? So don't go around saying, "If I can't have that outfit, I'll die." Or, "If I can't eat at that restaurant, I'm nothing." Instead, seek after the things of God first. Make God's purposes and standards first in your life. He'll meet your needs for clothing, food and drink. Don't worry about your future in those terms. Each day has enough trouble to occupy your thoughts.

Don't compare others to yourself or yourself to others. Don't hold people to standards you can't hit. You rationalize your inability to hit your standards but, won't allow others around you to slip as they try to live. Remember, you will be judged by God in the manner you judged others.

Why do you look at someone's life and say, "Let me give you advice to improve your life. Let me direct your life," insinuating that you are a know-it-all, better than the other person and capable of directing his or her life. You actor! Take the two-by-four out of your eye first, then you can see the speck of dust in your friend's eye. Concentrate on your life and your inabilities to live to God's standards. Then when you realize who you are and how to live, you can come along side your brother or sister and walk beside them as a partner helping each other stay the course, carrying one another's burdens.

One the other hand, don't give a stray dog the sacred meat from your offering. Don't give pigs your pearl necklace. This just means that when you're speaking with non-believing people, know that they will not understand the deep, holy things of God. If you try to tell them right off the bat that they are sinners and the reasons why, those people will simply tear you apart. They cannot see the value in what you are saying. Instead, pray for them. Walk along side of them to show them God in how you live.

Ask and continue to reverently ask for the kingdom of God, for you and for others. Seek and continue to reverently seek for the way to the kingdom of God. Knock and continually knock on the kingdom's door and the door will be opened to you and to the others you pray for. This is God's heart.

You're a parent, right? When your child comes to you and say he's hungry, do you give him a rock instead of a piece of bread? Do you give him a snake instead of a piece of fish? Do you give him a scorpion instead of an egg? No! So, if you who inherently living outside of God's will (you're evil) can provide for your child with love, don't you think God will do even more? So remember that when you do things for others, when you request things from God for others; request as if you're asking for yourself. This standard of living sums up what is taught in the Law and by the prophets.

There is one way to enter heaven. Enter that way. It is the narrow and difficult way. People will say there are other ways and those ways look easy but they are simply a highway to hell. There is one and only one way to God and His kingdom. Out of all of the people who will walk the earth, few choose to enter heaven through the one and only way. (I am the Way.)

Watch out for false prophets and religious leaders. Hey, they will look like Godly people. They will sound like Godly people. Some will look and sound like followers of mine but, they are ravenous wolves wearing a sheep's costume. In the case of determining religious leaders, this is when you should discern (judge). You are to be fruit inspectors. You're not going to go to an orange tree to pick apples. You're not going to go to a tree that always bears bad, unripened or spoiled fruit to pick sweet, rip and good fruit. So if the religious leaders preach God's lessons but continue to live entirely different, run from them.

Not everyone who goes to church and says, "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom. Just because you go to church and hear the Word, doesn't mean you're automatically granted entrance into God's kingdom. Just like standing in a barn doesn't make you a cow. The only people that will be granted access to God's kingdom are those who hear the lessons of God and go out and live those lessons, to the best of their ability, out of love and respect for God. Those that hear God, believe in God, love God completely and do the Father's will are heirs to the kingdom.

On the day when God grants access to His kingdom, many will say, "Lord, Lord! Didn't we go to your church? Didn't we give tithes? Didn't we pray for a miracle that you granted?" And because they did these things for their personal benefit and recognition, because they didn't live out of appreciation for God's mercy and provisions, God will say, "I never knew you as my son or daughter. You are not allowed in. Go away!"

Therefore, those that hear my words (my lessons) AND put those lessons into daily practice, they are the wise ones. These wise people are like a home builder who digs his foundation down to anchor it onto bedrock. In life there are always storms - I'm not promising a storm-free life. So when the storm comes, the rain pours, the stream rises and wind whips against the house, the house will stand because its builder anchored the foundation to bedrock.

However, those that hear my words (my lessons) and walk away not doing anything with that knowledge, not putting the lessons into practice, these people are foolish. They are like a home builder who builds on the sandy banks of a stream, or on the dunes of a barrier island. When the storm comes, the stream rises, the wind whips against the house and the house cannot stands against the storm because it is anchored to shifting sands. If the hurricane comes, the waves crash and wash the house off of the sand dune. Great is the loss to the homeowner. Don't be that homeowner.

When Jesus was done teaching the people, they were amazed because He taught with the authority of someone designated by God Himself to teach. As if He knew God personally.

Notes from Matthew 5

Introduction summary of Matthew 1 through 4

The Gospel according to Matthew is written by Levi the tax collector who writes the good news truth about Jesus and who He is, to the Jewish reader. The first few chapters, you can almost hear Matthew’s excitement about the revelation of Jesus as Matthew spends much of his time showing Jesus’ connection and fulfillment of Jewish (Old Testament) Law and prophecy. We see the reaction of people to Jesus. Those who should have known who Jesus is were either indifferent or angry at his appearance. Those who should not have recognized Him did, and reverently and diligently went to see Him; some at great personal expense.

In Matthew’s account, we see the devotion of Jesus’ earthly parents to God, to His commands, and their desire to be associated with the Law. Yet, we will see how they will continually be ostracized by the Law keepers and their selection (as the Messiah’s parents) questioned.

His childhood skipped in Matthew’s account, we then see Jesus at His baptism where He will identify Himself with the human race – so later He can be our perfect substitute – and we see the Trinity clearly. God Himself states that Jesus is His Son. The Holy Spirit is visible as it descends to rest upon Jesus and Jesus Himself coming out of the water. If there was any doubt in Jesus’ mind as to who was His Father, the doubt was erased at this time. Jesus now knows He is the very Son of God and the fulfillment of Law and prophecy. With that also comes the great responsibility of testifying to the truths of God and eventually being the perfect Passover Lamb of God. Heavy stuff to consider.

The Holy Spirit now urges Jesus into the dessert for a time of fasting. Jesus doesn’t know how long the fast will be. He doesn’t know that Satan will show up to test Him. We know it was 40 days because Jesus told His disciples it was 40 days and spoke of the encounter with Satan at the end of that fast. And what does Satan do? He tried to get Jesus to questions Himself, question who He is, not listen to God, disobey God and act on Satan’s wishes. With what? The same distractions he derails us – feel good, look good, have goods.

Jesus, knowing the very truths of God, accurately and in context, is able to stand firmly on God’s truths and stay firm on God’s course. He now emerges from the desert knowing that He, as man, is ready to move forward in the ministry God called Him to fulfill.

So what does Jesus say to launch His ministry? “You’re looking for God’s kingdom in the wrong places; you’re going in the wrong direction; you’re going the wrong way. Turn around! I’ll show you. Follow me; I know the way! In fact, I AM the WAY!”

Which leads us to Matthew 5 where Jesus says, “You thought the Kingdom of God was that; It’s really this.” Many of the characteristics of the Kingdom and the people of the Kingdom can be explained simply by saying that Kingdom people Love God, Love Others and Die to Self Interests. He explains that we are called to be the preservative of this world – the salt. If we were gone, then the world would in fact deteriorate into complete debauchery without our presence – without our bodies carrying God’s Will into the world – as a preservative sustaining it long enough for those who will choose God to actually choose Him. We are the light in this world where we show people the Way to God. “Jesus! This way!”

Jesus says He didn’t come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. So, for those who thought He was saying, “Hey anything goes,” he said no; the Law still holds true. For those who thought the Law ruled supremely, even to the point of religious rituals with exclusion and judgment of people; Jesus said no – God desired heartfelt actions of compassion and mercy over rituals and sacrificial offerings.

Then Jesus points to the heart of it all. He infers that there is no difference between someone who has thought about doing an action and the one who did the action. For the heart – your desires – are what trigger your actions. You can almost hear people saying, “I’m a good person. I’m going to heaven because I never”:

• Murdered anyone
• Didn’t cheat on my wife or husband
• Got a justified divorce

Jesus’ response was, “If you think that’s the case – you think it’s your hand that caused you to sin – then cut if off. When you continue to sin with only one hand, then you’ll know your sin was not caused by your hand but by your heart.” You can hear Adam saying, “God, it’s that woman you gave me; that’s why I sinned. It wasn’t my fault.”

We then read Jesus saying to be true to your word. There is no need to make elaborate oaths, putting up as collateral something you don’t own like God’s throne. Instead, let your yes mean yes and your no mean no.

So, you’ve been wronged by somebody and yes, the Law states “make the punishment fit the crime. Don’t make the punishment double the penalty of the crime – keep it as an eye for an eye.” However, why not try to let the person who hurt your feelings, or extorted something from you, be forgiven - don't justify yourself to hold it against the person and harbor ill feelings toward this person - then pray for that person. It’s easy to love the people who like you. Instead try loving the people who don’t like you. Now that’s the unconditional (agape’) love of your Father. When you can do that, then you possess the quality of love your Father in Heaven has for you.

Again, heavy stuff… but very practical, no nonsense explanations from Jesus.

Scripture:

Matthew 25:31-40; 9:13

Hosea 6:6

Leviticus 19 = 19:2; 19:5; 19:12; 19:17; 19:18

Leviticus 6:1-7

James 5:12; 2:14-26

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2; 7:1-5

Genesis 3:12

Isaiah 6:5; 66:2-3

Psalms 37:11; 51:16-17

Revelation 21:1

John 14:15

How to View Solomon & His Writings

Recently, my Women's Critical Thinking Bible Study group was studying Ecclesiastes; it seems like an easy book to study and yet it was not. It was difficult knowing who Solomon is as a person - wise and correct or arrogant and foolishly wrong - difficult knowing why his writings are in the Bible and shocking to see another man different from whom we thought he was.

In short, Solomon seemed to be a man who tried to live life apart from God, by his own wisdom, thinking he was smarter than God only to realize nearing the end of his life - a life God graciously gave and extended - that he was not smarter than God, he was not able to understand, control nor predict life and his lifelong efforts to do so were a waste of time. In the end, Solomon learned that true wisdom began with reverently respecting God and being in awe of Him.

Solomon - his name meaning Peace - by his birth as son of King David was the "Prince of Peace." By his undeniable reign as the king of the then mightiest empire of the known world, he could be the King of Kings. However, Solomon doesn't live into his name as a man of God but as a man of the world. And we must look to Jesus as the truest sense of the Prince of Peace - peace with God and not world peace - and King of Kings as there will be no other to rise higher than the Son of God Himself.

I believe God allowed Solomon to live his life as He knew Solomon would come to the conclusion that true wisdom and true life was found in God only. Ecclesiastes seems to be Solomon's "life journal" where he explains his life's journey and conclusions. Proverbs now seems - to me anyway - to have been written following his life's journey where he concluded he chased the wrong life - a life without God. Isn't it amazing that our God would place the journal of a man in the Bible where this man confesses his life's struggles, searches endlessly and give his lessons-learned so we can read that a life without God is no life at all? That is why I think Solomon and his writings are important to our lives' journeys.

To help me better understand Solomon in context, I first read about Solomon then read his "journal" now will re-look at Proverbs to see how weighty this insight, from an elder Solomon, truly is as he states "the fear (reverent respect) of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." Proverbs 1:7

Try reading Solomon in this manner:

1. Dueteronomy 17
2. 2 Samuel 11-12
3. 1 Kings 1-11 (maybe into 12 to see Solomon's "legacy")
4. 1 Chronicles 29 through 2 Chronicles 9
5. Ecclesiastes
6. Proverbs
7. Song of Songs

When reading the Old testament account of Solomon's life in Kings and Chronicles, really look at what David said to Solomon, how he as his father set Solomon into action as King, what did Solomon ask for from God, how many times God visited Solomon and what did God say each time to Solomon. Ask yourself why would God say what He said to Solomon? Did Solomon seek God during his reign? How did he raise his kids? What did his wives do and where in Jerusalem did they do their actions? How did Solomon lead Israel? Did Solomon as king follow God's decrees and commands? What was Solomon's legacy? Does he have remorse? Is he trying to make up for lost time?

I'm not sure I'll see Solomon in God's Kingdom. Good thing I'm not God because I don't discern the hearts and minds of men. Only God can do that and only God knows if, in Solomon's heart, the conclusion of his life resulted in true faith in God and not the end we read in 1 Kings.

August 27, 2013
Here is a lesson taught by Dr. Stephen Davey preached 10 years ago that I heard on Monday, August 27, 2013 during a rebroadcast on Wisdom for the Heart on 90.5 FM. (I'm always amazed how God brings lessons to my hearing of subjects I'm studying.) In this lesson, Dr. Stephen Davey sheds some light on who Solomon was so, we can read the Scripture penned by Solomon with the correct perspective.

From the Portraits of Biblical Failures - Solomon the Richest Fool

Just Thinking...

I was just thinking the other day. That's it... just thinking. My job has been good but exceptionally busy working more hours than I truly should be working. (My own doing.) I knew this time was coming so I was prepared mentally and physically for this time. Still in all, come each weekend, I am pretty crispy.

Recently, my grandmother (she's 95) fell, surviving the fall with only a broken finger, yet continued to fall every day. It was evident that it was time for Nana to be moved to a home, a very tough decision for my Dad. After a long week, I jumped into the car, headed to St Augustine for the evening with Dad and to visit with Nana the following day before heading home again.

That Saturday morning in St Augustine, following my morning study time, I went for a quick jog to try to shake the week from me. I ran from the house to the beach, then ran along the beach; not a far run but long enough to sweat. Since the heat index was passed "oppressive," it didn't take long to sweat out the week. I had planned to walk back to the house from the beach so I could jump into the ocean for a few minutes following my run.

Having sweat sufficiently, I now stood in the ocean watching the waves and listening to God breathe. Ever notice how the sound of crashing waves sounds like someone breathing? Since I was a kid, I thought the sound of the ocean was God breathing... I love listening to the sound of the ocean.

The waves were big and the water a bit unseasonably cool because Tropical Storm Emily was somewhere east off the coast. (She brought with her some old-time Florida heat and big waves.) The water was refreshing as I stood there for a long time letting the waves massage by legs, listening to God breathe and just thinking.

After a while of standing in the water, having dunked a few times, it was time to head back to the house. Between the beach and Dad's neighborhood are two blocks of beach houses. Some are nicely done, some are new homes replacing older beach homes and some are the older beach homes. I realized, as I walked home, that the wild grape vines have taken over, weaving a mat and nearly choking out the other vegetation. Only those homes who's owners are most diligent at weeding, don't have the mat of grape vines.

The leaves on these wild grape vines are turning yellowish and tinged with brown showing it's almost harvest time. I look for the grapes and see only a few here and there in various stages of ripening. Every once and a while I see a true cluster of grapes that look worth eating. The birds and squirrels have gotten most of the grapes, I thought. Even though the vines have woven into a thick mat, they are scraggly, unhealthy and wild. If you taste a grape, you'll notice the fruit tastes like a bitter concord grape not good for anything but feeding the birds and animals. To us, the vines are invasive and destructive producing only worthless fruit.

As always, God speaks and He reminds me of Scripture. He brings to mind the story about the man who planted a choice vineyard. I had to look it up when I got home to remember it was Isaiah 5. In the story, Isaiah calls to mind a man who plants and builds a quality vineyard with the choicest of vines expecting the choicest of fruits. The man marks out his prize vineyard with a wall. He clears out all of the stones and tills the soil so its optimal for the vines. He plants a hedge to protect the vineyard from destructive animals. He digs a wine press anticipating that he will have the best fruit to make wine; the choicest of grapes and not useless grapes good only for feeding animals. He builds a watchtower to have security over wildfires, approaching weather, thieves and poachers. The man is God. The vineyard is in His garden and is Israel, "the called out." He has gardeners in charge of maintaining His vineyard. And when God returns to collect the expected choice fruit in order to make choice wine, He only finds bad fruit.

As I was thinking, I also know that Israel - the called out - is also a type of the Church; we who are called out by God to live a life in continuing stages of changing as a testimony to Him so others will see us, give recognition to God and turn from their lives to submit to Him. So, when I read about Israel, its responsibilities, failures and demise, I know God's Word is also calling me and the Church into the same relationship with responsibilities.

God created His garden - earth - and planted His choice vineyard - the church - and placed the vineyard into the care of gardeners to work it for Him - man (Genesis 1: 26, 28-30, 2:15). However, man grew complacent, selfish, and resentful, so we lightly took our honored responsibilities, fell asleep in some cases, willing opening the gate to those that destroy; in some cases allowing the enemy of God into His garden and vineyard. Given that opportunity, what better way to destroy your enemy than from within, so God's enemy plants wild grapes in God's vineyard just like this enemy sewed bad seed into God's grain fields. (Matthew 13:24-30)

Like tares resemble wheat, the wild grapes resemble the good grapes. Tares look like wheat when they grow, even have heads of "wheat" but, tares don't bow their heads at the harvest time as wheat does. I'm guessing it's the weight of good grain verses empty, useless grain. Tares are just wild grasses. The wild grapes by sight, look like good vines, produce fruit like good vines but when you taste the fruit, then you know it's useless fruit not worthy for choice things.

As I stand there on the side of the road, wet from listening to God breathe, I think now of God saying, "Let them grow together until it's harvest time, then the harvesters can pull everything, separate the bad from the good, move the good into my barn, bundle up and burn the bad stuff." (Rose's paraphrase of several Scriptures Matthew 13: 29-30; 25: 31-46) It was a scary thought.

Are these grape vines a visible warning, in nature, to us who know God? Are we to see that the bad have grown over and in place of the good so we will wake from our stupor, rise up to call on God for His help? How much longer will God and His patience allow us to sleep as the weeds take over His garden? How much longer will God and His patience allow us to stand with His gate wide open as we allow all sorts of undesirables to corrupt His vineyard, His church? Are we near the end because in nature we see the signs of the harvest time - both harvest times of the natural seasons as well as the harvest times of the Heavenly realms?

Only God knows the time of THAT DAY. Only He can extend the time until the harvest comes, allowing us to wake up and work with Him to restore His garden. Only He knows the time when He will tell His Son Jesus to go bring His bride home; go get the fruit from the vineyard.

When I read Isaiah 5, I realized that God is about to take away the demarcation of our "vineyard." He will take away the hedge of protection because the vineyard is useless. He will allow the vineyard to be trampled and turned into a wasteland. He will tell the clouds not to rain on it to nourish the vineyard. He says woe to the gardener who adds house upon house - we certainly are a people who buy and accumulate lots of stuff, many houses, several cars, etc. And at the end, only exile awaits the gardeners of the vineyard.

From my very limited knowledge of prophecy, our great country (the USA) is not mentioned literally in end times prophecy. The question is... is this because the gardeners wake up, confess our bad practices to the owner of the vineyard, turn and submit ourselves to work with Him to restore His vineyard before the harvest? Do we prepare for our jobs, for this time of critical work? Or do we continue to sleep and continue to open the gate to those who want to destroy? Are we to live through the destruction of the vineyard? Once again, only God knows. As for me and my house, I'm asking God to wake us up and prepare us for worthy gardening.

After all, I was just thinking...

Who is this coming?

A glimpse of things yet to come.
Journal entry from June 29 through July 6, 2011  

While reading Song of Songs, I was struck by the imagery of chapter 3, verses 6 through 11. The verses were simply pregnant with the future arrival of King Jesus. As I read this passage, more and more Scripture came to mind. Jotting them down, I began to see a bigger scene of the Kingly arrival of Jesus for/or following His marriage to His Bride, the Church. Each piece of Scripture further defined Him. I ran from Revelation to Exodus to Matthew to John and James to Psalms; I compared it to the Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic using a Lexicon. I felt like His betrothed, His lover where earlier in chapter 3 she is searching for Him. Looking everywhere until she finds Him, holds Him and won't let go. Do you see Him? Do you see Him coming in all His pageantry and promise?

Here is the entire piece of Scripture - Song of Songs 3:6-11 (NIV):

Who is this coming up from the desert
like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and incense
made from all the spices of the merchant?

Look! It is Solomon's carriage,
escorted by sixty warriors,
the noblest of Israel,
all of them wearing the sword,
all experienced in battle,
each with his sword at his side,
prepared for the terrors of the night.

King Solomon made for himself the carriage;
he made it of wood from Lebanon.
Its posts he made of silver,
its base of gold
Its seat was upholstered with purple,
its interior lovingly inlaid
by the daughters of Jerusalem.

Come out, you daughters of Zion,
and look at King Solomon wearing the crown,
the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
the day his heart rejoiced.

Now, look at this Scripture again with all of the relating pieces. 

Who is this coming up from the desert

Who is coming up from the uncultivated, seasonal grasslands; Isaiah 40:6-8 "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of God stands forever." Matthew 6: 29-30 "Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these (lilies of the field). If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?"

I also see desert as being the wasteland that the tribe of Israel wandered through for 40 years when they left Egypt, which Egypt is a synonym for slavery, bondage to this world and the death it brings. Hosea 11:1 "Out of Egypt I have called my son." The wasteland is also the result of God removing His hedge and wall of protection from His garden/vineyard to be trampled since it is useless where only wild grapes and wild grass grow there. Isaiah 5 
 

Like a column of smoke

Exodus 13:21-22 "By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night a pillar of fire to give them light."

perfumed with myrrh and incense made from all the spices of the merchant?

 
Matthew 2:11"Then they (Magi) opened their treasure and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh." Gold = King; incense/frankincense = priest; myrrh = royal burial, king and priest

(My entry entitled, "The Fragrance of Christ" November 2010)

Exodus 25:6 "...spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense,..."

(My entry entitled, "I Love the Old Testament" February 2011)

Exodus 30:7-9 "Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning... he must burn incense again when he lights the lamps... so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come..."

Exodus 30:34-38 "Then the Lord said to Moses, "Take the fragrant spices - gum resin, onycha and galbanum - and pure frankincense all in equal amounts and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer... grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the testimony in the Tent of the Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord..."

Verse 3:6 in the English Standard Version
What is that coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?

Look! It's Solomon's carriage

Solomon = the son of David, heir to the throne of David = Messianic title Son of David who is the true heir to the throne of David. Matthew 20:30 "... Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" Solomon also means 'Peace' so it could also be read as "Prince of Peace".

(My entry entitled, "Blind Faith" December 2010)

John 18:37 "Jesus answered, 'You are right saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born and for this I came into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.'"

Some commentators say this procession is the Bride going to meet her husband and they gave good explanations for it. But, the Jewish wedding is the groom going to get his bride, with his groom's men accompanying him blowing horns announcing his arrival, "The bridegroom comes!" During the year of betrothal, the husband-to-be builds an addition onto his father's home and when it's complete and his father gives permission, the husband-to-be (the bridegroom) goes with his party to get his bride to bring her back to the place he prepared for her and himself to live. The marriage is consummated at that time. The word carriage translated into couch or bed or chariot. If it was a couch or bed, why would the bride be bringing a bed that her husband made to meet her husband when Jewish tradition is the husband going to claim his bride? It didn't make sense to me so that is why I believe this portion of Scripture depicts the husband - Solomon - going to claim his bride or is of him following his marriage to his bride.

John 14:2-3 "In my Father's house are many rooms, if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." 

escorted by sixty warriors,
the noblest of Israel,
all of them wearing the sword,
all experienced in battle,
each with his sword at his side,
prepared for the terrors of the night.

Sixty = more than you can count on one hand; kings had fifty+ men run in front of the carriage to signify that the carriage was of a king (1 Kings 1:5)
Sword = Word of God, truth

Hebrew 4:12 "For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

Matthew 10:34 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."

Ephesians 6:17 "... and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God."

All of Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's scheme. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

Revelation 19:14-15 "The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations."

The warriors are experts in spiritual warfare, who have matured into the image of Christ by the Word of God, the truth of God. Looking inwardly, they battled the things that weren't of God with the Truth of God and stood the testing of their faith proven true.

Jesus needs only to speak truth when He returns. The sword that comes from His mouth in Revelation, I believe is the truth of God He speaks. Truth, God's truth, is more powerful than any weapon and will destroy anyone not found to be in God's truth and not covered by Jesus' righteousness.

Hebrews 12:1-13 "Therefore, we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Psalm 91 seems to describe what these warriors and the armies of heaven will face during the second coming of Jesus. Verse 5 also mentions "the terrors at night" which means the imminent threat of attack of an enemy of war.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty
I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress
my God, in whom I trust."
Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers
and under His wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness will be your
shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
If you make the Most High your dwelling -
even the Lord, who is my refuge -
then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
For He will command His angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against the stone.
You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges My Name.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life will I satisfy him
and show him My Salvation." 

King Solomon made for himself the carriage;
he made it of wood from Lebanon.
Its posts he made of silver,
its base of gold.
Its seat was upholstered with purple,
its interior lovingly inlaid
by the daughters of Jerusalem.

King Solomon, Son of David, heir to the throne of David, made for himself a chariot made out of wood, the same wood used to make the temple. 1 Kings 5:6, "So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me." To make the chariot himself, Son of David must have been a carpenter. Mark 6:3 "Isn't this the carpenter?" Matthew 13:55 "Isn't this the carpenter's son?"

The description of the carriage is similar to the materials used to make the Tabernacle, where God dwelt with Israel for 40 years in the desert, and the Temple Solomon built for the worship of God. Exodus 25:3-4 "These are the offerings you (Moses) are to receive from them (Israelites): gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn..." Exodus 26:1 "Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim worked into them by a skilled craftsman." Exodus 26:19 "... and make forty silver bases to go under them - two bases for each frame..." Exodus 26:29 "Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold." Exodus 26:32 "Hang it with gold hooks on four posts or acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases." Of the Temple's inner sanctuary, Solomon had it, 1 Kings 6:20 "He overlaid the inside with pure gold and he also overlaid the altar of cedar."

The daughters of Jerusalem = women, maidens. 
 

Come out, you daughters of Zion,

This section of Scripture, from the daughters of Jerusalem lovingly inlaying the interior of the carriage with purple - royal - upholstery to the company accompanying the King calling out the daughters of Zion, reminds me of the parable of the ten virgins which follows a discourse where Jesus is explaining end times. Matthew 25:1-13 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'

'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'

But while they were on their way to buy oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said, 'Open the door for us!'

But he replied, 'I tell you the truth. I don't know you.'

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or hour." 

and look at King Solomon wearing the crown,
the crown with which his mother crowned him

Jesus' earthly Mother, Mary, is a bit of an enigma. In some denominations of Christianity, we have placed Mary very low on the scale of importance. In one denomination, she is placed too high given the same seats as Jesus Christ and God Himself. Mary, at a tender teenage year, some say age 16, believed completely God's Word of prophecy to her concerning her role with Messiah. (Luke 1:26-38) During that conversation with God's messenger, the angel describes Mary as, (Luke 1:28) highly favored. She, out of all woman from Eve to the last woman to breathe her last breath, was selected by God Himself to bare, deliver, raise and love His Son, Jesus the Anointed One of God. Amazing, really, when you think about that designation by God of Mary. Yet, Mary also was human and made human mistakes and she too would have her inner thoughts, her life, her choices, pierced by God's truths. Luke 2:34-35 "Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: 'The child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.'" Mary doubted who Jesus was at some time during His ministry as we see her with her sons going to try to take Jesus home because she and her sons, Jesus' brothers (His earthly family) thought He had lost His mind. Matthew 12:46-50 "While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him. Someone told Him, 'Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.' He replied to him, 'Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?' Pointing to the disciples, He said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.'" Then again, we see how special of a woman she is in Jesus' eyes that while He was dying on the cross, He remembers to take care of Mary His earthly mother. John 19:26-27 "When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.'

I often think what Jesus' family life must have been like. In verse 50 of Matthew 12, Jesus says 'whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven' is His family. Is that statement revealing that His earthly family wasn't doing the will of God, at that time? Perhaps Jesus' family life was similar to many of our lives where siblings fight and are jealous. Maybe they thought he was looney, tried to convinced their collective mother (Mary) that Jesus was out of his mind, a lost cause, let him go. Had they abandoned their mother because she couldn't let Jesus go? Is that why Jesus asked John to care for Mary as if she was his own mother? Did John do that role until Mary passed or until James and Jude, Jesus' brothers, realized who Jesus truly was and is? Did His brothers then care for Mary their mother as they were supposed to care for her?

And yet, Mary is highly favored with God. Chosen to bare His Son. Chosen to raise His Son. And now, it seems, she will have the esteemed honor, in the role of mother, to crown Jesus King on the day of His wedding. What an amazing tribute and honor bestowed upon Mary. 

on the day of his wedding
the day his heart rejoiced

Jesus knew the promises of His wedding day through only the Old Testament Scriptures; He knew those promises so well He was able to look passed the humiliation and injustice of the cross in order to focus on God's truths and promises to Him. One day, I will have to find and add some of those Old Testament Scripture indicating the promise of Messiah's wedding day. Perhaps Song of Songs was one such piece. However, Revelation 19:6-9 is so very exciting to me; to the point of bringing anticipation goose bumps.

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like a roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give Him glory!
For the wedding day of the Lamb has come,
and His bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear."
(Fine linen stands for righteous acts of the saints.)

Then the angel said to me, "Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" And he added, "These are the true words of God."

To me, Song of Songs 3:6-11 reads similarly to Revelation 19:6-9, 11-16.

Song of Songs 3:6-11

Who is this coming up from the desert
like a column of smoke,
perfumed with myrrh and incense
made from all the spices of the merchant?

Look! It is Solomon's carriage,
escorted by sixty warriors,
the noblest of Israel,
all of them wearing the sword,
all experienced in battle,
each with his sword at his side,
prepared for the terrors of the night.

King Solomon made for himself the carriage;
he made it of wood from Lebanon.
Its posts he made of silver,
its base of gold
Its seat was upholstered with purple,
its interior lovingly inlaid
by the daughters of Jerusalem.

Come out, you daughters of Zion,
and look at King Solomon wearing the crown,
the crown with which his mother crowned him
on the day of his wedding,
the day his heart rejoiced.

Revelation 6-9, 11-16

(6-9)
Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give Him glory!
For the wedding day of the Lamb has come,
and His bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear."
(Fine linen stands for righteous acts of the saints.)

Then the angel said to me, "Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!" And he added, "These are the true words of God."

(11-16)
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

At the end of Revelation, Jesus says, "Behold, I am coming soon! (22:12) And, "Yes, I am coming soon." (22:20)

We are not to know the day or the hour that Jesus will be coming back but, He did tell us how to recognize when it was getting close to His true triumphal return. And we are to live in constant expectation that He will return at any moment so that we don't become complacent and stray from what God has called us to be and do.

Do you see who is coming? Do you see Him returning soon?

During this journaling period, as typical with God when He begins to speak through His Word to me, I hear supporting and relating Scripture and stories everywhere I turn. In church last Sunday, because of the 4th of July, we sang the Battle Hymn of the Republic. Amazing how it related... yes, I see Him coming soon!

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:
His day is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
"As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel,
Since God is marching on."

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat:
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is Wisdom to the mighty, He is Succour to the brave,
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of Time His slave,
Our God is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Our God is marching on.

Ephesians 5

Taking apart chapter 5 to understand the context and meaning of this chapter

5:1 – Be imitators of God

• What are some relating Scripture verses that speak to God’s character and think of how we should imitate Him
• Write out a translation of 5:1

Dearly loved children – Beloved children

• A friend made a point in Family Group (Jason) that we get upset when people don't respect us because we're wanting that person to love us fully when in fact the person is incapable of loving us fully. However, God loves us fully and yet we ignore that love or take it for granted or devalue it
• How does this thought process make you think about 5:1-2?
  
• Dearly loved = to be loved without condition or circumstance

5:2 …and live a life of love (agapé) just as Christ loved (égapésen) us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

• What does the weight of the unconditional love do to this command?
• What is Paul referring to when he speaks of Christ being a fragrant offering
• Refer to Leviticus 1 through 5 for the offerings/sacrifices especially 4:1-5:13
• Why is a sacrifice a “pleasing aroma” to the Lord?

5:3 – there must not be a hint of sexual immorality…

• Think about what is a “hint”
• Matthew 5:27-32 – remember that an action is not necessary to be sinful
• 1 Timothy 1:10

5:8 – Children of the light

• What does “light” mean?

5:13 – exposed by the light

• What and who are exposed by the light?

5:17 – Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is.

• What is the Lord’s will?

5:20 …always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of the Lord Jesus

• Relating Scripture about giving thanks
• What is the meaning of “giving thanks”?

5:21 – Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ

• What is the essence of this if Christ submitted to God by doing God's will over His own?
  

5:22 – Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord

• What is the Greek word and meaning for ‘submit’?
• How does a wife submit to her husbands as to the Lord?
• What does ‘as to the Lord’ mean?

5:25 – Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her…

• What Greek word and meaning is the word ‘love’ in this verse
• How did Jesus love the church?
• How did He give Himself to the church?
• What should a husband do for his wife; how should his love appear?

5:25-29

• Read through the entire portion of Scripture
• What does this command look like?
• What is the husband doing with his wife?
• Is this immediate or over a period of time?
• Think about cleansing with water
• Think about truth
• Look at Genesis 3 and see what happened to this husband and wife
• Why is Paul championing this command placing so much emphasis on the husband’s role

5:26

• What is the reason for marriage?

A Salmon Bagel with God

A journal entry about answered prayer, predestination, encouragement and the Church working together as the Body of Christ

On Mother’s Day, I had a salmon bagel for lunch… and I ate with God.

It seemed to be an ordinary day outside of it being Mother’s Day. Chauncey was traveling home from a business trip, spending the weekend with a friend, so unable to be with me. My daughters had traveled with a friend of theirs back to Kentucky so she could see her Mom; they weren’t able to come to visit me for Mother’s Day. Truly, I was happy because Chaunce was sharing a weekend with a dear friend and with an opportunity to share about God with his friend. The girls didn’t want their friend to drive the 14+ hours alone through areas hit by the recent tornadoes, it had been months since their friend saw her Mom and we had all just been together the weekend prior. My family was living for God and that was a Mother’s Day gift for me in my mind. Plus, it meant I got to rest and I so wanted to rest.

Following church, I wanted to treat myself to a salmon bagel which is a real treat for me. Having just spent a bunch of money on my business related items, Lauren’s graduation weekend, and Chauncey’s business trip I was feeling guilty about going for a bagel nearly talking myself out of it. Finally, I decided to simply go enjoy a bagel.

It was chilly in the restaurant and gorgeous outside, so when my bagel was ready I took the little tray outside to sit. As I was exiting the restaurant, a woman in a pretty blue dress was getting ready to walk into the restaurant. I held the door open for her and she commented on my bagel asking what kind it was. Telling her it was yummy, she said she would order a salmon bagel too.

The sun was warm, the air dry, and it was lovely outside. While munching on my bagel, I heard my phone buzz telling me an email had arrived. It was my co-worker Greg who helped me get my current job and has been a true friend over the last few years. He and I had exchanged emails recently because I was praying for his 12 year old nephew who had suffered a sudden and unexpected grave illness. Earlier that week, as Greg shared how he and his family were able to literally see God’s hand orchestrate events around his nephew’s illness, Scripture had come to mind. Feeling compelled to share as encouragement, I emailed a verse and my relating journal entry about foreknowledge and predestination. The email was Greg’s reply telling me more about God’s assistance, how it had encouraged him, and to tell me that the very Scripture I had shared was the very one his sister-in-law was reading in the hospital beside her son’s bed. Greg went on to say that his sister-in-law’s priest remarked when she told him which Scripture she was reading as the one he was considering on using that weekend. Greg said when appropriate, he would share that verse and journal entry with his sister-in-law hoping it would encourage her, too. Coincidence? Not in my book.

I sat amazed… God is simply amazing. I couldn’t deny God bringing Scripture and reasoning to mind when Greg and I spoke earlier that week. I was concerned about “sharing Scripture” at a time like that because hard times don’t always call for some Christian to throw verses at you. Instead, hard times call for a member of the Church to come along side you, encourage you, hold you up, cry with you, sit with you, hug you. But, I asked God and felt compelled to share this time. Perhaps because it was not a direct share with the wounded person but with someone close to the wounded. God knew, in fact God foreknew. The result? Everyone was calling to mind the same verse. Everyone was seeing God’s handiwork. Everyone was acknowledging God as the sustainer of life. I was amazed God allowed me to have a role (albeit a tiny role) in this time and I was relieved I followed His lead.

Fixed on the email, I didn’t realize that someone was standing near me. Looking up I saw the woman in the pretty blue dress carrying her salmon bagel. She asked to join me and I was happy to have the company. Sitting down, here’s were the encounter blew my mind.

My blue dress, salmon bagel eating new friend named “Sue” is a few years older than me. Within seconds of introducing ourselves to one another, she asks if I’m a Mom. I tell her yes and briefly tell her my family is out sharing the day with friends. Returning the question, I ask Sue if she’s a Mom learning then that she lost her daughter, her only child, a year ago Easter. Seems her daughter fell gravely ill on Good Friday 2010 and by Easter morning, Sue had to make the very difficult decision to discontinue life support. My heart just ached for her and swallowing became very tough indeed.

Our conversation immediately went to God. Not just a where was God in all of this but Sue knew God, relied and continues to rely on God. We had a deep conversation about the realities of God, His truths and who we are on all of those truths on a daily basis.

As she talked, she told me that prior to her daughter falling gravely ill, Sue had planned a vacation out west. After her daughter’s death, there was a long time before Sue would be able to receive her daughter’s body for burial. Sue’s clients were also reacting to the death in a way that wasn’t supportive to her. So reluctantly, Sue made the decision to go forward with the vacation using it as a time to heal.

She told me about literally hearing God speak to her while away and was relieved when I believed that she in fact heard God speak. Without telling my entire Valerie story, I told Sue I too had literally heard God speak one day. (I will have to share the entire story with her one day.)

Earlier that week, I had an email exchange with my Mother-in-law about another friend whose daughter lost her leg in a tragic jet-ski accident Easter Sunday. Also relating the story about Greg’s nephew, I had commented that both families were acknowledging God’s provisions, presence and comfort throughout their ordeals. My comment to Betty was that I had admired their testimonies but certainly wasn’t up for that kind of test because to pass that test meant it was at the expense of your child. I concluded with the fact that God knew better about the sacrifice of a child so thankfully He could truly relate to those families.

Now I sat across the table from my new friend listening to her story, hearing her strong faith, acknowledging her undeniable witness, sharing in her tears about the loss of her precious daughter. She said when her daughter passed on Easter Sunday, a nurse told her that another mother lost her son on Easter Sunday 2000 years ago. Somewhat cold as the comment sounded, Sue said it brought comfort to her and she related to Mary’s struggle on that day. I now related the conversation I had earlier that week with my mother-in-law to reinforce that God knows intimately what Sue went through.

Once again Scripture and stories were brought to mind as I listened to my new friend. It was obvious to me that Sue had the eternal choice in front of her; the choice we all face. She could have either chosen God relying on Him for her strength to carry her through this time or she could have walked away from Him blaming God for everything that happened. Sue chose God and her story encouraged me because, at that moment, I was struggling with the sincerity of my faith with God. She was encouraging me as only God can do through the Body of Christ His Church.

Not wanting to sound cold or superficially Christian, I quietly asked God to help me share what He was bringing to mind. The Scripture – Romans 8:28-30. The stories were my relating journal entries about foreknowledge and predestination and Job’s honor. I shared with Sue that God foreknew she would be going through this ordeal and, because she chose Him, He predestine the time away which became a time when she heard God speak to her. I told her that what she went through now became a way she could touch others to provide meaningful comfort as only she could relate; she could share God’s comfort with others, tell them how God understands and is there for them as He is for her. She could teach truths in their context, her context, God’s context. That because she chose God over not choosing God, and that He foreknew she would choose Him, He has now predestined what she went through would be used for her good, others’ good and His glory. She has been honored – an honor I cannot imagine nor do I want but so, so admire and respect. An honor that now encouraged me.

We finished with Ruth and asked God that He grant Sue the blessings of family Naomi received from Ruth’s loyalty. We prayed that God grant Sue some rest from further ordeal and bring her family, as only He can do. Sue so wants family.

We hugged, exchanged contact information, and went our separate ways. We knew full well that God had ordained our meeting and sharing. We couldn’t deny it. Two complete strangers, sharing lives with God over a salmon bagel on the sidewalk of a little bagel restaurant, only God can do that. So on Mother’s Day, I had a salmon bagel with God. And it was one of the best bagels I have ever had.

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November 20, 2011 - Update

Today, I drove passed the bagel shop and thought of "Sue" and God pressed upon me to call her. On the other end of the line, Sue answered. I said, "This is Rose; we met Mother's Day and shared salmon bagels." She remembered and was happy to hear from me. I told her that I had passed the bagel place, thought of her, wanted to hear how she was doing and to tell her that I have been praying for her regularly since we met. She said our meeting was definitely divine intervention because that day she was really low and hurting. Sue asked what I had been praying for and I said family - that God would provide her family she could call her own - a daughter, grandchild and surrounding family.

That's when Sue said, "Wait until you hear what's happened to me!" The short story is that she too had been asking God for a (surrogate) daughter - someone who needed a mother and would be her daughter - and a grandchild. Sue now has a daughter - a women from the former Soviet Union who moved here marrying Sue's late daughter's husband. They have a little five month old baby boy who adores Sue. This new daughter had been praying, before leaving her country, asking God to provide her a (surrogate) mother in the States; someone to share her life with as mother and eventual grandmother. Sue is a practicing psychologist. Her new surrogate daughter is working on her PhD in psychology. Sue's son-in-law and his family are thrilled to have Sue remain in their lives and everyone lives here in town. Her son-in-law's mother exclaimed, "We finally get to be grandmothers together," Sue shared.

The woman on the other end was full of life. She was giddy, laughing, praising God for the gift of family He granted and blessed her. I was laughing, tears streaming down my face, so happy for her. What a testimony she has!

Although we both know that God is in the business of answering prayers, we were both so amazed that He did and did so graciously and generously. Sue is now telling everyone about God and her answered prayers. While I was on the phone with her, Sue passes the phone to her sister after asking me to tell her about my prayers for her.

What also amazed us is the three of us were praying for specific family without either of us knowing we were praying for the very same thing. Sue's surrogate daughter was praying for a surrogate mother and grandmother before leaving her country. Sue was praying for a surrogate daughter and eventual grandchild. Unknown to Sue, I was praying for a daughter, grandchild and loving family for her. Just absolutely amazing... God blows my mind!

We remembered that we were likening Sue to Naomi from the book of Ruth. With these answered prayers, Sue really is Naomi.